You might be surprised to know that Avi Kaplan, the bass voice extraordinaire of vocal group Pentatonix, grew up listening to a musical diet that consisted of John Denver, Simon & Garfunkel and Crosby Stills Nash & Young among others. His tastes expanded as he grew to adulthood, with Kaplan championing music from Ben Harper, Bon Iver and Iron & Wine to name a few. Folk music remained a constant staple while touring the world with PTX, so when it came to plan his first solo album, he knew instinctively which direction he wanted to go in: "Folk music is everything to me; it's where I come from; It's home." 

Avi is readying the release of his first solo EP, AVRIEL & THE SEQUOIA'S SAGE AND STONE, due out on June 9. Listeners are taken on a musical journey that will leave you wanting more than the five-song-starter, and what may be the most surprising is Avi's beautiful voice, melodic and mellow, and nothing at all like you've heard in the music he does with Pentatonix. 

 

The highly stylized album/website art of SAGE AND STONE makes its clear that his love of nature, and in particular the majestic sequoias, have played a big part in shaping his world view. No matter how far he has traveled, the escape nature, and folk music, provided was always his sanctuary. 

Pre-order SAGE AND STONE here: http://avrielandthesequoias.com